Method of making fiber reed



Oct. 12 1926. 1,602,635

E. F. BALDWIN ET AL I METHOD OF MAKING FIBER REED Filed March 25, 1926 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 12 1926.

E. F. BALDWIN ET AL METHOD OF MAKING FIBER REED Filed March 25. 1926 3Sheets-Sheet and-J \k I 4 1r Patented Oct. 12, 1926.

PATENT OFFICE.

nE'rnon 0E MAKING FIBER REED.

Applicationlled March-25, 1826-. Serial No; 97,469.-

This invention relates to a method. of making an artificialor fiber reedadaptedv for use in weaving covering material suitablefor bady carriagebodies and for many similar purposes. Such fiber reed has recently comeinto extensive use and is com: monly made from a long strip of strong,heavy paper, such as kraft paper, the process involving the folding ofthe: strip longitudinally and the securing of the folded layers togetherby a suitable gum or glue.

Ourinvention relates to an improved process or method of forming afiberreed'of the type above described, by which an improved product ischeaply and quickly manufactured.

We have also disclosed in this application a machine capable .ofperforming our improved process to great advantage,tl1is machine formingthe subject matter of a co-.

pending application Serial. No. 97,4 68, filed March 25, 19 26, and alsoof certain other applications relating to specific parts thereof.

While this machine is for performing our process may also be performedby other suitable machines, and is-capable of being. car ried outmanually, and. it does not depend for its utility. upon the use oftheparticular machine shown in the drawings.

The drawings forming part of this application illustrate a mach-me bywhich the process may be carried out, and in these drawings -Fig. 1 is aplan view of the machine;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a sectional side elevation of the folding, pressing, andgumming mechanism;

particularly adapted 111g. 4 is a sectional side elevation of therefolding and repressing mechanism;

Fig. 5 is an endview of'a folding trumpet; Fig. 6 is a plan view of anunfolding device;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation thereof, taken along the line 77 in Fig, 6;Fig. 8 is a plan View of-a guidingand scraping device;

Fig. 9 is a. planview of certain ofthe refolding rolls; l

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of a. pair of refolding rolls; and

repressing mechanism G,

improved process, the

Figs. 11 to 16 inclusive illustrate success1ve steps in the carrying outof our improved process.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, the machine which we havedesigned andon which our process may be carried out comprises asupplying mechanism A, a folding mechanism B, a pressing mechanism C, anunfolding mechanism D, a gumming mecha- ,nism. E, a drying portion F, arefolding and a winding mechanism H.

The construction of our improved machine not shown herein, as it doesnot appear to be necessary for a clear understanding of our improvedmethod, but for a more complete disclosure thereof reference is made tothe co-pending application above identified. We will, howe or, brieflydescribe the general construction and operation of the machine, so thatthe manner in which the-process is carried out by the use of saidmachine will be read- 11y understood.

and described. in. full detail The fiber is supplied to the machine inthe I form of a strip S from one or morerollsR which are mounted uponsupporting bars 41, each of which is detachably mounted on. the frame Mof the machine. The construction is such that any particular bar- 4'1may be removed and replaced as desired,. f0r re-' plenishment of thepaper roll mounted thereon. A retarding weight 44 and friction spring4.9 is provided for each separate roll R.

As the strips 8 leave the roll B, they are drawn through trumpets 55,each having; an opening 66 (Fig. 5) of such peculiar cross section thatthe flat strip 7 will leave the trumpet the shape shown in Fig. 12.

A: guiding member or anvil 58 projects into the open rear end of eachtrumpet and a guide plate 62 is pivoted at64 so that it may be adjustedlaterally. The guide plate 62 determines the exact transverse positionof the folding lines in the finished reed, and by adjusting the guideplate slightlyabout its pivot 64' the edge of the outer'fold may becaused to coincide exactly with the edge of the finished reed, asindicated in F ig- 13, a most desirable result.

As the partially folded strips S leave the trumpets 55, they are drawnbetween presser rolls and 71. The lower presser roll 70 is provided withgrooves 72 which are of the exact desired width of the finished reed,and the upper roll 71 is provided with ribs 73 fitting within the groove72. The presser rolls 70 and 71 act as feed rolls to draw the reedthrough the trumpets 55, and also act as sizing devices, as the width ofthe grooves 72 determines the width of the folded reed. Suitable guideplates 71 assist in conducting the reed from the trumpets to the presserrolls, which firmly compress the folded reed and break down the fiber atthe fold line As each strip S leaves the presser rolls, it is freed fromits groove 72 by a stripper bar having guide fingers S7 projecting intothe grooves 7 The strips S then pass through unfolding devices (Figs. 6and 7 each of which has a straight unfolding edge 92 and a notch orrecess 93. The folded but ungummed paper is opened out by the unfoldingdevice 90. as indicated in Figs. 6 and 7 leaving the unfolding devicesin the flat but longitudinally scored condition llltllCt ted in Fig. 1d.

The unfolded and flattened strip S then passes over a drum 95 (Fig. 3),the lower portion of which dips into a tank 97 containing a suitable gumor glue which is kept hot by the circulation of steam or hot waterthrough a jacket J positioned beneath the tank. As each strip S leavesthe drum 95, it passes under a guide rod 101 and over a scraper 102 bywhich surplus gum is removed from the strip.

A swinging support 105 extends across the face of the drum 95 andnormally rests in the inoperative position indicated in Fig. 3. hen themachine is stopped, however, it is desirable to raise the strips S awayfrom the face of the drum to permit removal or replacement thereof, andin this event the bar 105 may be swung upward to the operative positionindicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3.

As the gummed strips leave the gumming mechanism E, they are nextdelivered to th refolding and repressing mechanism G. The mechanisms Eand G, however, are somewhat widely separated so as to provide a dryingportion F for the freshly gummed strips. The free stretch of the fiberin the drying portion F is commonly from 8 to 10 feet and during thepassage of the fiber through this portion F of the machine the gum has achance to dry partially and to become verysticky or tacky.

The strips S are then drawn between pair of refolding rolls 111 and 112(Figs. 9 and 10). These rolls are preferably formed of brass or someother non-corrosive metal and the roll 111 is provided with asubstantially semi-circular groove 115 while the roll 112 is providedwith a thin flange or rib 116 projecting into the groove 115 at itslower portion.

As the gummed and sticky paper is drawn between these freely rotatablerolls, it is again folded along the previous lines to the sectionindicated in Fig. 15. The refolded strip S then passes betweenrepressing rolls 121 and 122 (Fig. 1). The roll 121 has series ofgrooves formed therein similar to the grooves in the presser roll 70previously described. The rolls 122 are each of a width substantiallyequal to that of one of the grooves 120 and each roll 122 is mountedupon a vertically slidable support 12st and is pressed yieldinglydownward by a spring 127. Handles are provided for separately raisingthe upper rolls 122 and holding them in inoperative position when it isdesired to thread up the machine.

The refolded and repressed strip of reed S is removed from the grooves120 of the r0ll'121 by a second series of presser fingers 133 (Fig. at),and is drawn past guides 156 and swinging guide arms 157 by windingreels 152. The guides 156 and guide arms 157 are mounted upon atransverse bar and suitable IDBCllttlliSlll is provided forreciprocating the transverse bar 155 vertically and for continuouslyrotating the winding spindles 1 12 upon which the spools or reels 152are frictionally mounted.

The speed of the spindles 1&2 is somewhat in excess of the speedrequired to wind up the reed on the smallest diameter of the spools 152.The spools accordingly rotate as ragidly as is necessary to take up thereed and the surplus speed of the winding'spindles 1 12 is taken care ofby the slip between the spindles and the spools.

Suitable driving connections are provided by which all of the variousparts of the machine operate in correct timed relation and the operatormay start and stop the machine at will by the use of one of the shipperhandles conveniently located at both ends of the machine.

Having described generally the construction of a machine by the use ofwhich our improved method maybe carried out, we will now indicatespecifically the successive steps of the method and the advantagesthereof.

The ungummed strip S is first folded longitudinally, preferably toproduce the threeply structure indicated in Figs. 12 and 13. Great careis taken that-the longitudinal fold lines will be so positionedlaterally that the outer fold of the fiber will exactly coincide withthe edge of the finished reed. The reed is then subjected to a combinedpress ing and sizing operation by which it is fiattened and pressed uponitself as indicated in Fig. 13, and the reed is also brought to an exactwidth which may be conveniently de- I termined by the width of thegroove or other fiber, folding opening in which it is com ressed. Thisoperation also breaks down the fiber at the fold lines, which isessential to the successful folding of this strong, heavy material.

All of the operations thus far described are performed before any gum isapplied to the fiber.

The folded strip is then unfolded and flattened, and after beingunfolded it is gummed on one face, the surplus gum is scraped therefrom,and the remaining gum is then allowed to partially dry and to becomevery sticky.

The partially dried and very sticky fiber is then refolded to thecondition indicated in Fig. 15 and is repressed and again brought toexact size and uniform width in any convenient manner, as by beingcompressed within the grooves 120 of the repressing roll121. Thefinished reed is then disposed of as may be desired, preferably bywinding the reed upon spools as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2.

The above-described succession of operations, by which the heavy toughfiber is first folded and compressed to exact uniform width while freefrom gum and is thereafter gummed and refolded along the lines on whichthe fiber has been previously broken down, enable us to produce a veryfirm uniform product and one which has no tendency to thereafterseparate into its constituent layers. Furthermore, the provision of adefinite and sufficient period for permitting the gun to partially dryand be come sticky contributes very largely to the success of ourimproved method.

Having thus described our improved method and the advantages thereof, wedo not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwisethan as set forth in the claims, but what we claim is 1. The method ofmaking fiber reed which consists in taking a strip of ungummed flat itlongitudinally, breaking down and pressing the folded fiber, unfoldingthe fiber, and thereafter gumming, refolding and repressing the fiber toform a finished fiber reed.

2. The method of making fiber reed which consists in taking a strip ofungummed flat fiber, folding it longitudinallyto a three ply" thickness,breaking down and pressing thefiber, folding it longitudinally to athree ply thickness, breaking down and pressing the folded fiber,unfolding the fiber, and thereafter gumming and partially drying theunfolded fiber, and then refolding and repressing the fiber to form afinished reed.

5 Themethod of making fiber reed WlllCh consists in longitudinallyfolding and pressing the ungummed fiber, unfolding and gumming thefiber, and thereafter refolding and repressing the fiber ished fiberreed.

6. The method of making fiber reed which consists in longitudinallyfolding and pressing the ungummed fiber, unfolding and gumming thefiber, allowing the gum to set long enough to become sticky, andthereafter refolding and repressing the fiber to form a finished fiberreed.

7. The method of making a fiber reed which consists in folding, pressingand sizing the ungummed fiber to uniform width, unfolding and gummingthe fiber, and thereafter refolding and repressing the fiber to form afinished fiber reed.

8. The method of making fiber reed which consists in folding a strip ofungummed flat fiber to a three-ply thickness, pressing the folded fiberto a firmly compressed structure having the free edge of the outer plyof fiber coinciding with the edge of the folded reed, and thereafterunfolding, gumming, refolding and repressing the fiber to form afinished reed. In testimony whereof We have hereunto affixed oursignatures.

EARL F. BALDWIN. FRANK E. woons.

to form a fin-

